The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-10

the whole family here. Live right
aboard the boat jes' same's if we
was ter hum. That's my baby
there, that girl 'skippin' long
over them decks. Here you, Maria
Stop that runRin' now. Fust thing
youll tumble down. and git hart.
Curious you cant behave. Yes, we
send her to school all winter, right
up here TO Miss Smiths seeleck
school. The teacher up hum was
bilin' mad cause we took Maria ont
and fetched her down long with us,
but | guess she'll have to git along
'thout her fer spell. You see We
sold out the farm after we had made
up our minds to 90 ON the canal for
good, 50 we all had to come along.
1t is posty sosiable here in the via
ter. These boats kinder make a viii
lage all by themselves, and folks 80
visitin same as if they We're ashore.
We git sOrter neighborly with some
of them, and some We don't. Taint
always agreeable to know all your
neighb0rs, and some on EN- We don't
wanter know. The yeung folks
manage to have good times
right along. You see the
Grain boats are housed over
the whole loRgth, and there ain't no
deck same as on these boats. The
floor OF the hold is as level as barn
floor and fust rate for dancing. They
git TELLER that can fiddle pooty well
and have a dance once IN a while. |
guess they eAjsy themselves, though
| don't tend dances much myself,
I'm gettin' along in years and my
hsalth's sOrter spindkn', but her
was time when l could show EN-
how to do the fancy steps. If you
wanter see hsw folks live on a canal
boat, just come down into the cabin.
This is new beat and guess she's
got the best cabin OF any boat on the
canal"
The cabin Of q canal boat is
house in a very small compass, Il
is situated well aft aud is about
fifteen feet fore and aft and almoa
the width OF the deck, the hsHse
rising about three feet above the
deck, and leaving a narrow passage
way on each side. Usually the cabin
is divided into three Compartments
large living room, a sleeping room
and kitchen. Under the deck on
the pert side OF the large room is an
extra berth, and lockers, called closets
by the canalmen, are plentiful. AS
these cabins are inhabited and cared
for generally by women, the wives of
the shippers, there is nothing Rapti-
cal about them. Rocking chairs,
sewing machines, pictures, bird cages
and pot plants give them hsMehke
appearance and Danish all suggestions
OF life on the rolling deep. Bat
tho canal boat does get a bit Of o
rolling once in while, and
presumably the kerosene lamps
standing on shelves are then safely
slowed and the turniture dashed.
Some Of the boats go through the
canals to Lake Champlain and are
tswed aoress the lake or down to some
Of the ports, perhaps a distance of
miles. Storms oOcssion-
ally arise and the sandman in his
fiat bottomed craft gets a taste Of
navigating, being obliged to step a
mast and rig up storm sail in order
to keep the boats head up if the
tow line breaks. The perils of the
lake passage and hew the crew Of the
Eliza Jane remained up all night
holding the deck earge from rolling
overheard are topics for thrilling
yarns spun by the ancient mariners
of the canal as they smoke their pipes
around the cheerful cylinder stoves
when icy blasts are careering over
the Winter City. OMAR JAMES.